Method of forming axles and like articles



Patented Jan. 18, 192 1.

' 5 SHEETS-SH EET 1.

H. H. KEEPORTS.

METHOD OF FORMI-NG AXLES AND LIKE ARTICLES. APPLICATION ,FILED IULY 28. m9.

1,365,923.. Patented Jan. 18,1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

tumm H H. KEEPORTS.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

H. H. KEEPORTS. METHOD OF FORMING AXLES AND LIKE ARTICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28. m9.

1,365,923. P en ed Jan. 13,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

365 9 wmma'm Patented Jan. 18,1921. 1, 5 SHEUHHEH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. KEEPORTS, QF.DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO F OBGE 8'6 MACHINECQMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF FORMING AXLES AND LIKE ARTICLES.

Application filed July 28, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. Knnron'rs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of :Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming Axles and like Articles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to axles and like articles and has particular reference to a method of die fashioning the same. ()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a method of forming an article whereby the predetermined length of the article is secured during the die-fashioning thereof without the necessity of afterward changing the length of the same. Another object 1s to devise a method whereby each end portion of the article is die-fashioned to its finished state from the end portion of a bar of stock during one heat each, and further to limit the lengthening of the second forged end portion by means of a portion of the first forged end portion movable a predetermined distance. Other objects of the invention reside in further advantageous features as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a face plan view of a first end die;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line of F1 '1' fi s 4 and 5 are respectivelv plan and end views showing the bar of stock;

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views showing successive forms taken by the stock while being forged in the first end dies;

1* igs. 8 and 9 are respectively end views of Figs. 6 and 7;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the unfinished article after the last forging operation in the first end dies; 1

Fig. 11 is a face plan view of a second end die Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cross section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the unfinished Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18. 1921.,

Serial No. 313.749.

article in the form taken after the first forging operation in the second end dies;

igs. 15 and 16 are plan views of the article produced by successive steps in passing through the second end dies;

Figs. 17 and 18 are views respectively showing the positions of the article in the second end lower die before and after the last forging operation.

In general my method comprises the die fashioning of one end portion of a bar of stock, which is of predetermined size, to. form an end portion of the article to pre determined length and then the die-fashioning of the other end portion. of the bar of stock to form the other end portion of the article to predetermined length and permitting a portion of the first fashioned end portion tomove a predetermined distance to act as a gage to indicate and also as a stop for limiting the amount of lengthening taking place in the end portion being formed. This portion of the first fashioned end portion is a projection having shoulders movable between shoulders in the dies used in fashion ing the second end portion of the article.

In detail, as shown in Fig.1, the die 1 used in fashioning the firstend portion of the article is provided with a series of cavities, which, in the present instance, are three in number and designated in the order of their use as2, 3 and 4:. These cavities are so shaped that the end portion of the bar of stock in passing therethrough is successively fashioned into the finished end portion of the article. In order to secure the proper length of the end portion of the stock, which is heated to the desired temperature. and placed in the cavity 2-, a gage 5 isused having the end 6 adapted to be placed against the outer end of the die 1 and the laterallyprojecting portion 7 adapted to be engaged by the outer end of the bar of stock 8, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This bar of stock is of predetermined size and is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. By gaging the length of the end portion of the stock in the cavity 2, the proper amount of metal will be provided so that after having assed successively through the cavities 3 and 4, the finished end portion of the article will have a predetermined length. The cavity 2 is provided with irregular shapes which slightly fashion the end portion of the stock so that when the same is placed in the cavity 3, the stock will be more readily fashioned to have the enlargements or projections 9, 10 and 11 upon its body, which enlargements or projections are completely fashioned in the cavity 8 by means of corresponding indentations in its surface. At the completion of the die-fashioning of the end portion of the stock in the cavity 3, the same is then moved to the cavity 4 where it is laid upon its side and fashioned to form the finished end portion of the article, as shown in Fig. 10.

Figs. 6 and 8 represent the stock after having been die fashioned in the cavity 2,

while Figs. 7 and 9 represent the stock afterhaving been die-fashioned in the cavity 3.

After the one end portion of the stock is formed into the finished end portion of the article, the stock is then reheated to the desired temperature and placed in the cavity 12 of the second end die 13, the amount of this unfinished end portion of the stock being determined by means of the gage 14 having the end 15 adapted to abut against the outer end of die 13 and the laterallyprojecting portion 16 adapted to be engaged by the outer end of the first fashioned end portion of the article. After the die-fashioning operation has been performed in the cavity 12, the end portion is then moved to the-cavity 17 where it is further die-fashioned and where the enlargement or projection 18 is completely fashioned upon its surface by a corresponding indentation in the cavity. The end portion is then moved to the cavity 19 in the die 13 and placed upon its side, this cavity being provided with a suitable elongated recess, such as the recess 20 in its side edge which is adapted to receive the enlargement or projection 11 formed upon the first finished end portion of the article and the second end portion is then die-fashioned into the finished end portion of the article, which completes the fashioning of all the article. Figs. 1 1, 15 and 16 show the forms of the second end portion of the bar of stock after having successively passed though the cavities 12, 17 and 19 in the second end die 13.

In order to secure the predetermined length of the second end portion of the article, this portion after being die fashioned in the cavity 17 as well as the enlargement or projection 11 upon the first fashioned end portion of the article, are placed in the cavity 19. As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the enlargement or projection 11 has its outer shoulder 21 abut against the inner shoulder 22 forming the inner end of the elongated recess 20, there being clearance between the inner shoulders 23 formed upon the enlargement or projection 11 and the outer shoulder 24; forming the outer end of the recess 20. This amount of play is predetermined so that during this last die-fashioning step, the second end portion of the bar of stock while being fashioned elongates and the enlargement or projection 11 moves outwardly in the elongated recess and when its inner shoulder 23 abuts against the outer shoulder 24L of the recess, the length of the second fashioned end portion of the article is exact and the cooperating shoulders act as stops to prevent any further lengthening of the article. Thus, it is seen that the axle is of predetermined length, due to the fact that the first fashioned end is of length and the second fashioned end is also of length and automatically determined by the amount of movement of a sheuhler upon the lirst 'l'aslr ioned end relative to the dies in which the second fashioned end is forn'ied.

If the opposite e s oi the article being die-fashioned are at e the end portion of the article last fashioned can be operated upon by the same dies that operated upon the irst fashioned end or" the article.

in the present instance, the arti le d e fashioned in accordance with my process is an axle and the enlargements or projectiom referred to are pads upon the axle. 'lhese pads are used for securing a number of ya rious parts of the motor vehicle thereto. as for instance, the pads 9 and 18 are used in securing the vehicle springs to the axle.

Any iins or Hashes that are formed at the sides of the axle are removed or trimmed after the die-fashioning of each end.

iVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The method of forming an article which comprises the die-fashioning of one one of the article to length and the subseouent die-fashioning of the other end of the article to length gaged by the movement through a predetermined distance of a por tion of the first fashioned end.

The method of forming an article which comprises the die-fashioning of one end of the article with a gage during one heat and the subsequent die-fashioning of the other end of the article during a second heat, said last-mentioned operation continuing until the gage of the first fashioned end of the article has moved a pre letermined d ist ance.

3. The method of forming an article which comprises the die-fashioning of one end of the article with a shoulder and the subsequent die-fashioning of the other end of the article with said shoulder movable between iiredetermined limits.

4:. The method of forming an article which comprises the die-fashioning of one end of the article to approximately enact length and providing the same with a shoulder, and the subsequent die-fashioning of the other end of the article, permitting of a predetermined amount of play of said shoulder to act as a gage for the amount of lengthening of said other end of the article and also as a stop for limitingthe amount of lengthening thereof, Whereldy the length of said other end of the article is also approximately exactly secured.

5. The method of forming an axle or like article which comprises the placing of an end portion of stock into a die, the gaging of the length of stock in the die, the initial fashioning of thisportion, the moving of the initially fashioned portion to another position in the die, the intermediate fashioning While in this position to form a shoulder, the moving of the intermediately fashioned portion to still another position in the die, the final fashioning thereof While in this position, the placing of the other end portion of the stock into a die, the gaging of the length of this end portion in the lastmentioned die, the initial fashioning thereof, the moving of this initially fashioned end ortion to another position in the lastmentioned die, the intermediate fashioning thereof While in this position, the moving of this end portion with said shoulder to still another position in the last-mentioned die,

and the final fashioning of this end portion in. this position permitting of predetermined amount of travel of said shoulder relative to said last-mentioned die, said shoulder acting as a stop to limit the lengthening of the second end portion during the final fashioning thereof.

6. The method of forming an axle or like article which comprises the die'fashioning of one end of the axle or like article to pre determined length and the forming thereon of a projection and the subsequent diefashioning of the other end of the axle or like article permitting of a predetermined amount of play of said projection to actas a gage for the amount of lengthening of said other end of the axle or like article and also as a stop for limiting the amount of lengthening thereof, whereby the predetermined length of said other end of the axle or like article is also secured and the length of the complete axle or like article is as predetermined.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY H. KEEPORTS. 

